


Universal Constant

by oriolegirl



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-01-06
Updated: 2008-01-06
Packaged: 2017-10-17 11:08:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/176228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oriolegirl/pseuds/oriolegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Why is it," Rodney wondered, "that every unknown meat in the universe tastes like chicken?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Universal Constant

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "chickens" prompt at [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/ostrich_2008/profile)[**ostrich_2008**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/ostrich_2008/). Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/neevebrody/profile)[**neevebrody**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/neevebrody/) for the beta; Lorne's line is all hers.

  
After the debriefing with Sam about their rather useless mission to M43-79X -- no people, no Ancient outpost, no technology of any kind, no food of any kind -- the entire team headed to the mess for lunch. It was tiring work not finding anything and then having to report about not finding anything.

Sitting down at their table, Rodney looked at his tray in bewilderment. "What is this?"

John looked at the main dish in question, stabbed a piece with his fork, and chewed. "Huh. Tastes like chicken."

"Why is it," Rodney wondered, "that every unknown meat in the universe tastes like chicken?"

John shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because chicken is rather tasteless? Not like turkey. Now turkey," John said, pointing, "turkey has flavor."

Rodney snorted. He poked at the unknown meat on his plate before looking suspiciously at the rice and vegetables.

Teyla said, "I believe it is the bird that Captain Sanderson's team found on P78-097."

"I remember that report," John said. "It was some kind of mega-chicken. Everyone got pecked while trying to capture one. See, Rodney, it is chicken."

"No, it isn't," Rodney said, waving a forkful of rice. "It's some weird Pegasus bird that only vaguely resembles a chicken."

"Tastes like sobrachuk to me," Ronon put in.

"And sobrachuk is?" John asked.

"Satedan fowl. Medium-sized," Ronon held his hands about a foot apart. "Not real good at flying. Laid eggs." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Roasted really well."

"Sounds kind of like a chicken to me," John drawled.

Rodney frowned at him around a mouthful of rice.

"Hey, it's like on Babylon 5," John said, nudging Rodney's shoulder. "When G'Kar noticed…"

"Swedish meatballs!" John and Rodney chorused, grinning. Teyla and Ronon exchanged their standard 'Earthers are strange' look.

Lorne walked by their table and paused, frowning down at his tray as if seeing its contents for the first time. Shaking his head, he muttered, "Mystery meat," and continued past.

"What are Swedish meatballs?" Teyla asked.

"Haven't you seen B5 yet?" Rodney asked aghast.

John looked at Teyla in surprise. "We haven't shown you B5?"

"I do not believe so."

"Oh man, we'll have to get that for our next movie night," John said. "You'd really like G'Kar, Teyla."

Rodney nodded in agreement.

"Is there fighting?" Ronon asked.

"Yeah, lots of fighting. There's some really cool space battles," John said a little dreamily.

"But is there real fighting?"

Rodney rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. Lots of guns and knives and things blowing up."

"Cool." Ronon smirked. "Lots of bad guys, then."

"They're not badly dressed, life-sucking vampires, but the Shadows are an ancient evil enemy, and their technology isn't half bad," Rodney said, thoughtfully.

Teyla smiled slightly. "I look forward to seeing it. But what are Swedish meatballs?"

Rodney grimaced. "It's a really disgusting concoction. Not something you hear me say often when it comes to food, but I really have to wonder what the Swedes were thinking when they decided to --"

"But that's not important," John interrupted, leaning forward. "What's important is that G'Kar noticed that every civilization had an equivalent of Swedish meatballs." He looked pointedly at Rodney. "Kind of like chicken."

Rodney nodded, conceding the point. "A universal constant." He paused. "Oh. Oh wow. Physics and food. I wonder if…"

The rest of the team smiled and tuned Rodney out as he continued to ponder the intersections between two of his favorite things in the world.  



End file.
